“Not directly,” I said and then reminded her of our lunch and the mystery of that staring woman. I told her everything, from the pregnancy story that came from Sonya and Cecily to the baby reality that Dru had uncovered. “But I haven’t said a word to Jeremy about this part.”

“Why not?” And before I answered, she held up her hand and said, “Wait. Mom and her pearls of wisdom.”

I nodded. “Mom was right about this one. I’m glad I still have cards that Jeremy hasn’t seen. I don’t want to give him time to concoct a story. I just want the truth so that I can do what I have to do. And it’s not going to be an easy decision to make.”

“I know.” She released my hand and leaned back in her chair. “Ten years of marriage, two amazing children....”

“And eight million dollars on the table.”

“Wait! What?” she whispered as if she didn’t understand.

I filled her in on the Amazon deal and all she did was shake her head. “So there is so much at stake,” I told her.

“This is crazy,” Jada said. “So what’re you going to do? What’re you going to do if it’s true? If he really is Andre’s father?”

“That, my dear sister, is the ten years, two children, eight million dollar question.”

“Do you think you can walk away from all of that?”

I shook my head. “It would be hard, but here’s the thing. I know that everything I do is not just about me. My children are watching. And what would me staying say to Jasmine?”

Jada shook her head as if she vehemently disagreed with me. “No, Jasmine is too young to understand. You don’t have to worry about her.”

“That’s not true. I believe children are always watching. Did you notice Jasmine when Jeremy came in here and told you that things were not well?”

The way my sister frowned, I reminded her how Jasmine had watched and heard every word we’d said, and then had even repeated that Jeremy was a jokester.

“She doesn’t even know what a jokester is,” I said. “But she watches our words, she watches our body language and I don’t want my children to grow up in a tense home.” I shook my head. “Besides, one day Jasmine will grow up and if Jeremy is Andre’s father, she’ll ask me why I stayed. I’d better have a good reason for her if I decide to do that.”

Jada nodded. “And you’ll have to have an equally good reason for leaving.”